hitc

What hitc does

HITC is a UK-based digital sports news publisher operating as the flagship brand of GRV Media Limited, a private company that owns and operates a network of approximately 50 sports-focused websites. Founded in 2000 as "Here Is The City" with an initial financial-news focus, the business rebranded to GRV Media in 2015 during a period of growth through new site launches and acquisitions, and since 2025 has repositioned HITC as a dedicated sports news destination covering football, NBA, tennis, Formula 1, and golf. Content is produced by approximately 60 full-time journalists working in a fully remote structure (the company has operated remotely since 2002, predating the pandemic-driven shift) and is distributed through organic search, social media, earned media, email newsletters, and the TalkingPoints mobile app.

The publishing platform is built on WordPress with a custom GRV Media sports theme. The TalkingPoints mobile app, distributed via the iOS App Store, extends the product surface with a community-driven personalized newsfeed and discussion platform. GRV Media also operates PROP, a proprietary advertising-management platform serving approximately 45 third-party publishers worldwide with near real-time reporting and net-30 payment terms.

HITC generates revenue exclusively through digital advertising — there are no paid subscriptions, paywalls, or sponsored content placements. The company enforces restrictive advertising policies (no auto-play video, pop-ups, pop-unders, sliders, contextual in-text links, or adult/health/lending categories) and limits full-page takeovers to one per user per day. The audience is global sports enthusiasts reached primarily through UK-anchored content, with no disclosed enterprise customers and no external institutional or private-equity investment; ownership remains with the three co-founders (Vic Daniels, Graham Morris, Robi Buckley).

Name

hitc

Legal name

GRV Media Limited

Website

https://hitc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Short description

HITC is a UK-based digital sports news publisher, flagship brand of GRV Media, covering football, NBA, tennis, F1, and golf via a network of ~50 sports sites, ~60 journalists, and the TalkingPoints mobile app, monetized entirely through digital advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Sports News

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports & Recreation Magazines (MPAJAEAJ)

Keywords

• Sports news publishing
• Digital sports media
• Sports journalism content
• Football news coverage
• Digital advertising platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Widnes

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Digital Advertising: HITC generates revenue primarily through digital advertising. The website displays ads from third-party advertisers, with strict policies against auto-play videos, pop-ups, pop-unders, sliders, and contextual in-text links. They run full page takeovers from relevant advertisers on a limited basis (1 per day maximum per user). Adult, health, diet, and money lending advertisements are prohibited.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HITC publishes digital sports news, features, and opinion content across multiple verticals including football, NBA, F1, tennis, golf, MMA, boxing, NFL, MLB, WNBA, and wrestling. The website delivers around-the-clock coverage for UK and global sports audiences, complemented by the TalkingPoints community mobile app and is operated as part of GRV Media's network of 50 sports websites.

Product overview

HITC is a sports news platform operated by GRV Media, a UK-based publisher and tech company. The core product is the HITC Sport website providing sports journalism across football, NBA, tennis, Formula 1, and golf. The platform offers a companion mobile app called TalkingPoints for community engagement and personalized newsfeeds. GRV Media also operates PROP, an advertising management platform serving the broader publisher network. The company runs 50 sports websites reaching 25 million monthly visitors across multiple sports verticals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HITC Sport Website Dedicated sports news website covering football, NBA, tennis, F1, and golf news from the UK and beyond, featuring around-the-clock news content alongside in-depth coverage with opinions and features. Accessible freely without subscription or paywall.
• TalkingPoints Mobile App Community-driven sports news mobile app where users can create personalized newsfeeds and engage in sports conversations, downloadable via the iOS App Store.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sportskeeda: Sportskeeda is a global digital sports publisher covering NBA, NFL, football, MMA, F1, and more with heavy SEO and social distribution. Directly comparable to HITC in content mix, target audience, and ad-driven revenue model.
• TeamTalk: TeamTalk is a UK digital sports publisher covering football and other major sports with breaking news and transfer rumours. Competes directly with HITC for UK sports fans and the same advertising demand pool.
• 90min: 90min is a global digital football publisher producing news, opinion, and fan-led content distributed heavily on social. Closely comparable to HITC in vertical focus, ad-supported model, and SEO/social-led audience acquisition.
• Sports Mole: Sports Mole is a UK digital sports publisher covering football and other major sports with breaking news, previews and opinion. Competes head-to-head with HITC for the same sports search traffic and UK sports news audience.
• FanSided: FanSided is a network of 300+ sports and entertainment fan sites owned by Minute Media. Comparable to GRV Media's network-of-sites model (50 properties reaching tens of millions) and shares HITC's ad-supported, vertical-specific content approach.
• GiveMeSport: GiveMeSport is a UK-based digital sports news publisher covering football, F1, golf, NBA and combat sports, distributed via social channels. Directly comparable to HITC in target audience, content-led GTM, and ad-supported revenue model.
• Football League World: Football League World is a UK football-focused digital publisher with strong EFL and Premier League coverage. Comparable to HITC's football vertical in audience, distribution model, and SEO-led content strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Bleacher Report: Bleacher Report is a large US-based digital sports media company producing news, highlights, and original content across multiple sports. Overlaps with HITC's sports coverage breadth and content-led GTM but operates at significantly larger scale.
• talkSPORT: talkSPORT is a major UK sports media brand spanning radio, digital, and social coverage of football and combat sports. Comparable to HITC in UK audience focus and sports verticals (notably MMA/combat sports) but operates at significantly broader scale and via broadcast.
• The Athletic: The Athletic is a subscription-based digital sports news platform covering football, NBA, NFL, F1, golf, tennis and more. Comparable to HITC's editorial depth and sports breadth but differentiates via subscription rather than ad revenue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/hitc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/grvmedia
• Facebookfacebook.com/HITCSport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hitc
• Instagraminstagram.com/hitcsport

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about hitc